BrainSpan Atlas of the Developing Human Brain

This is the online help for the BrainSpan Atlas of the Developing Human Brain Web application.

The BrainSpan Atlas of the Developing Human Brain is designed as a foundational resource for studying transcriptional mechanisms involved in human brain development. Upon completion, the atlas will contain a variety of data modalities and cover several developmental stages. The data will include:

Gene expression data is available as colorimetric in situ hybridization (ISH) for specific brain regions. Images are grouped into image series that comprise an experiment. Experiments consist of slides from the same specimen that receive the same treatment, whether it is Nissl staining or ISH with a probe for a particular gene.

Full color, high-resolution digital atlases accompanied by a hierarchically organized taxonomy of developing human brain structures are available for three developmental stages; 15 pcw, 21 pcw and 34 years. Atlases consist of annotated coronal sections spanning the rostro-caudal extent of the brain at 500-1200 micron intervals.